USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: Yoruba Studies Review

This is a great new resource. Am very happy to hear about it. Well done all.
Abosede

On Jun 1, 2015 2:06 AM, "Ukpokolo Chinyere" <fcukpokolo@gmail.com> wrote:

Prof, this indeed is awesome. We are really proud of you and your team. The creation of Yoruba Studies Review (YSR) is quite thoughtful of your team, and timely too.
Congrats to you all!

Chinyere Ukpokolo

On Sun, May 31, 2015 at 2:27 PM, House-Soremekun, Bessie <beshouse@iupui.edu> wrote:

Congratulations to you, Dr. Falola and to your fellow collaborators, Dr. Akin Agundiran and Dr. Akintunde Akinyemi, on the creation of this new journal, Yoruba Studies Review.  It will be a wonderful addition to the scholarly arena.

 

Much continued success to you all.

Bessie House Soremekun

 

---

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Toyin Falola [toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu]
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2015 8:31 AM
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Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Yoruba Studies Review

Yoruba Studies Review (YSR)

 

Editors

  

Toyin Falola, Department of History, The University of Texas at Austin,

 

Akin Ogundiran, Department of Africana Studies, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and

 

Akintunde Akinyemi, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, University of Florida, Gainesville

The Yoruba Studies Review is a refereed biannual journal dedicated to the study of the experience of the Yoruba peoples and their descendants globally. The journal covers all aspects of the Yoruba transnational, national, and regional presence, both in their West Africa's homeland and in diasporic spaces, past and present. The journal embraces all disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and the basic /applied sciences in as much as the focus is on the Yoruba affairs and the intersections with other communities and practices worldwide. The journal will foster and encourage interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches dealing with a wide range of theoretical and applied topics including, but not limited to: cultural production, identities, religion, arts and aesthetics, history, language, knowledge system, philosophy, gender, media, popular culture, education and pedagogy, politics, business, economic issues, social policy, migration, geography and landscape, environment, health, technology, and sustainability.

 

Yoruba Studies Review seeks to serve as the platform for a new generation of transformative scholarship that is based on cutting-edge research, novel methodologies, and interpretations that tap into the deep wells of Yoruba epistemology and ontology. YSR will also publish critical review essays, book reviews, and scholarly debates on topical issues.

 

The Yoruba Studies Review will publish research and review manuscripts in the five languages that are primarily used in the Yoruba world– English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Yoruba. Where possible, abstracts of papers will be translated into English.

 

A section on "Archives" will reprint older materials to provide a wider access to a variety of documents.

 

 

Manuscript Style

All documents must be prepared in MS Word or Rich Text format. All sections of the manuscript, including title page, abstract, acknowledgments, references, figure-captions, tables, and set-off quotes must be double-spaced and number consecutively. Submissions must be sent electronically as email attachment to yorubastudies@gmail.com (cc. toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu) Authors are responsible for supplying professionally drafted figures, suitable for reproduction, and are responsible for obtaining necessary permissions.  Camera-ready illustrations may be submitted in hard copy or in electronic format.

 

Original manuscripts may be submitted in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Yoruba language.

 

The Yoruba Studies Review will be published twice during the academic year, in the fall (October) and spring (April) semesters respectively. The first issue of YSR will appear in in 2015. We invite scholars to submit original manuscripts (not exceeding 10,000 words including references and endnotes). Each article must include an abstract (not more than 150 words) that summarizes the work's argument, method, findings, and significance. Book reviews must not exceed 1000 words.

 

 

The Yoruba Studies Review is hosted by three institutions:

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The University of Florida, Gainesville

Toyin Falola

Department of History

The University of Texas at Austin

104 Inner Campus Drive

Austin, TX 78712-0220

USA

512 475 7224

512 475 7222 (fax)

http://www.toyinfalola.com 

http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa  

http://groups.google.com/group/yorubaaffairs 

http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue   

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USA Africa Dialogue Series - CBN releases 2013 controversial report that led to suspension of former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido

CBN releases 2013 controversial report that led to suspension of former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido

By Ola Peter -

Jun 1, 2015

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) weekend released the 2013 annual report that led to suspension of former governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria had raised issues with the accounts, saying it needed some detailed explanation as required in the International Financial Reporting Standards.


It was on the basis of issues raised by the Council that the former CBN Governor was suspended. However, the CBN said that it has formally released its audited financial statements for 2013 and 2014 and has fully adopted the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the financial statements.
The CBN annual report said the bank made a total earnings of $0.29 billion (N44.41 billion), from the external reserves in 2013 representing an increase of 7.1 per cent over the level in 2012.


According to the CBN, in order to earn additional income from the external asset management programme, the CBN signed a Master Securities Lending Agreement with JP Morgan Chase to participate in its securities lending programme.


The custodian was allowed to lend the securities purchased by the fund managers to eligible borrowers in accordance with the guidelines. It said that total earnings from the securities lending operations from the inception of the programme in December 2007, amounted to $54.93 million, of which $1.36 million was realised in 2013, representing a decline of 41.8 per cent, compared with $2.33 million earned in 2012.


The released financial statements indicate that the net income of the bank for 2013 amounted to N209.6 billion while that of 2014 was N35.4 billion out of which 80 per cent have since been remitted to the Federal Government of Nigeria in accordance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act. The balance of 20 per cent was also transferred to the Reserves within the bank.


The report said that the bank in 2013, recruited 771 personnel, consisting of two executives, 427 senior and 342 junior staff. This was made up of 276 female and 495 male. The bank, however, lost the services of 27 staff through death; 15 through voluntary retirement; 72 through mandatory retirement; and 10 through resignation. Furthermore, the appointment of nine staff was terminated, while 27 were dismissed. The staff strength stood at 6,594, compared with 5,983 in 2012.


The report said: "Available data showed that total foreign exchange inflows through the economy rose by 22.9 per cent to $146.27 billion in 2013. Of this, inflows through the CBN and autonomous sources amounted to $41.07 billion and US$105.20 billion and accounted for 28.1 and 71.9 per cent, respectively.


A disaggregation of the inflows through the autonomous sources showed that invisibles accounted for $98.53 billion; non-oil exports, $6.31 billion; and external account, $0.36billion. The invisibles comprised over-the-counter purchases (OTC) and domiciliary accounts which amounted to $62. 93billion (63.9per cent) and $35.60 billion (36.1 per cent), of the total, respectively.


"Aggregate foreign exchange outflows through the economy rose by 17.9 per cent above the level in 2012 to $43.64 billion. The development was attributed to increased Dutch auction utilisation, national priority projects and external debt service by 27.9, 4.3 and 2.3 per cent, respectively. In addition, $1.00 billion was transferred to the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) account during the year for investment.


"Overall, a net inflow of $102.63billion was recorded in 2013, compared with US$81.99 billion in the preceding year. Foreign exchange inflows through the CBN fell by 12. 2 per cent to $41.07 billion in 2013. The inflow from oil exports declined by 13.1 per cent on a year-on-year basis, occasioned by oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger-Delta, which affected the oil production and volume of crude oil exported.


"The non-oil component of the inflow through the bank also declined by 3.3 per cent, compared with the level in the preceding year. An analysis of the latter showed that wDAS/rDAS purchases and interest earnings on reserves fell by 98.6 and 47.6 per cent respectively, from the levels in 2012. Other official receipts rose by 29.0 per cent above the level in 2012 to US$2.97 billion, while receipts of $0.99 billion was realised from the issuance of sovereign Eurobond.


In contrast, outflows of foreign exchange through the bank rose by 20.0 per cent to $42.32billion in 2013 driven by the 27.9, 4.3 and 2.3 per cent increases in outflow through wDAS/rDAS utilisation, national priority projects, and external debt payments, respectively. Further analysis showed that wDAS/rDAS and inter-bank sales rose by 33.8 and 136.1per cent, to $25.52billion and US$3.94billion, respectively, reflecting increased demand at the spot segment.


The wDAS/rDAS-Forward, swaps, and BDC sales, however, fell by 71.6, 51.1 and 4.3 per cent, respectively, from the levels in 2012. "Other official payments" were 22.2 per cent below the level in 2012 and amounted to US$5.27 billion. "The decline was driven largely by the 38.9 and 34.1 per cent reduction in miscellaneous outflow and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation/Joint Venture (NNPC/JVC) Cash calls funding, respectively.


Under this category, the NNPC/JVC cash calls accounted for 64.6 per cent, while miscellaneous outflow was 1.3 per cent of the total. Furthermore, payments to international organisations and embassies, parastatals and for estacode rose by 40.9 and 11.2 per cent, and accounted for 12.3 and 21.8 per cent, respectively, of the "Other Official Payments". Drawings on L/Cs fell by 23.4 per cent and accounted for 1.0 per cent of total outflows through the CBN.


The external debt service and out-payments for the national priority projects, however, rose by 2.3 and 4.3 per cent and accounted for 0.7 and 0.2 per cent, respectively, of total outflows through the bank. Overall, a net outflow of $1.25 billion was recorded through the bank in 2013, compared with a net inflow of $11.53 billion in the preceding year.


2013 annual report said "Sectoral utilisation of foreign exchange in 2013 rose by 28.8 per cent to $54.2 billion over the level in 2012. Visible trade imports, at $28.1 billion or 51.8 per cent of the total, declined by 2.4 per cent, compared with $28.8 billion in 2012. Out-payments on invisible trade, however, rose by 96.4 per cent to $26.1 billion or 48.2 per cent of the total, compared with $13.3 billion in 2012".


It further said: "Analysis of visible trade imports showed that foreign exchange utilisation for the agricultural, industrial and mineral sub-sectors grew by 23.1, 11.5 and 10.5 per cent to $0.3 billion, US$8.4 billion and US$0.4 billion, respectively, from the levels in 2012. Manufactures, food products, transport and oil sub-sectors, however, declined by 10.3, 7.4, 15.4 and 5.5 per cent to US$4.2 billion, $5.1 billion, $1.5 billion and US$8.2 billion, respectively.


Foreign exchange utilisation under invisible imports was driven largely by financial sector services, which accounted for $22.2 billion, representing an increase of 123.3 per cent over the level in 2012. Out-payments for business, communication, education and transport services rose by 22.2, 31.9, 14.9 and 15.8 per cent to $1.3 billion, $0.5 billion, $0.3 billion and US$1.3 billion, respectively, over the levels in the preceding year.


"Similarly, distribution and other services grew by 13.9 and 11.6 per cent to $0.1 billion and $0.3 billion, respectively, from the levels in 2012. Tourism, construction and engineering-related services, and health, however, fell, by 73.4, 22.0 and 11.8 per cent, to $0.02 billion, $0.09 billion and $0.002 billion, respectively, from their levels.


According to the CBN "The IFRS requirement implies that the financial statement of the CBN be consolidated with those of investee entities, namely Nigeria Export-Import Bank, Abuja Securities and Commodities Exchange, Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System, National Economic Reconstruction Fund, Financial Markets Dealers Quotation, African Finance Corporation and Agricultural Credit Guarantee Fund.
"Thus, the bank now has full IFRS-compliant financial statements for the years ended 31st December 2013 and 31st December 2014, respectively. Hitherto, the bank's financial statements had been prepared under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) framework.


Meanwhile, the adoption of IFRS by the CBN or any central bank the world over is not without difficulties in view of a number of challenges that include the non-profit-oriented mandates of central banks in their roles of price and financial system stability and economic growth that could be contradicted by the application of some of these IFRS standards, which are for direct profit-motivated commercial entities.


"Another challenge is the statutory constraints on the central banks. This explains why very few central banks have adopted the IFRS. Many of the central banks which claim IFRS adoption did so partially within statutory constraints. The CBN was, however, able to work around these challenges to conclude a successful adoption of the IFRS.


It is worthy of note that the CBN has been able to conclude IFRS adoption within a period of two years as global experience indicated that many of the IFRS adopting central or reserve banks took longer periods of time to conclude IFRS adoption".

RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Is Buhari declaring amnesty for corrupt politicians?

I would prefer that Buhari hits the ground running as they say. He should not start with disclamations. He should start with proclamations.  If he is to be the transformational leader that he promised to be, he must put the country on notice, with decisive policy actions, as soon as possible. If he indeed believes that the past is prologue, he must know too that the future cannot be completely detached from the past. One seldom cleans up without identifying, collecting, and discarding trash. Risky and painful surgery is sometimes, the optimal medical procedure. Nigerians expect Buhari to hold some past leaders and government officials accountable. If it takes investigating their stewardship to do so, so be it. It takes a fist fight sometimes to stop a trespasser.

 

oa 

 

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Segun Ogungbemi
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2015 3:33 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Is Buhari declaring amnesty for corrupt politicians?

 

To me it is not a wise approach at the moment to engage in probes. The President needs to solidify his control and stabilize properly before considering probes that cannot be resolved quickly given the nature of our judiciary. 

The President's function is to first of all reform all the weak institutions that are responsible for corruption to thrive and provide enabling environment to probe corrupt officials, contractors, business people who have hands in looting the treasury of the country, political and religious business institutions etc. 

if the institutions are not properly energized the probes will be nothing but exercise in futility. 

The President should concentrate on security matters vigorously and unite the nation and improve on the economy and basic infrastructure. 

The country needs peace and not anything that will evoke chaos which will ultimately scare local and foreign investors. I believe Mr. President knows his onions. Let us wait and see his prescriptions for the ills of the nation. 

Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

On May 31, 2015, at 4:22 AM, Bode <ominira@gmail.com> wrote:

Because I consider probes to be the rites of passage that Nigeria needs for social maturation, the most unsettling part of Buhari's speech is the ambiguity in his suggestion that he would not settle old scores. There are two individuals, at least, with whom we know Buhari has personal scores to settle: Ibrahim Babangida who overthrew him in a coup in 1985, and Olusegun Obasanjo who twice rigged elections against him. If the reassurance were for these two alone, there would have been no need to address it to the Nigerian public in an inaugural speech. This makes me think he is talking about a larger group of leaders who fear Buhari might come after them for reasons one could only imagine has to do with official corruption. If the latter were the case, then, Buhari has just declared general amnesty for corrupt leaders. This is very troubling indeed, and it may well be the statement that would be most predictive of his future as President. Going after corrupt leaders is not settling scores, there is nothing personal about it, and it is not only morally and politically imperative, it is the constitutional duty of the President, the very oath of his office. 

 

Contrary to those who view probes of past governments as the third rail of Nigerian politics; who argue that Chief Awolowo's failure to become President in 1979 is directly connected to his statement that he would probe Obasanjo, I would argue that it is a political imperative for Buhari to probe these leaders for the country to become a country of laws. In other words, whether Nigeria makes the transition from a Society of Status to a Society of Laws depends absolutely on whether past leaders are made to account for what in the public eyes are their many misdeeds. It will be naïve for Buhari to think that these gladiators will fade away into the night once he declares amnesty. No, it will embolden them. They will always continue to seek relevance and peddle the influence they have amassed through corruption. They will ultimately undermine Buhari's programs and when they do, Buhari would have lost the support and goodwill of the people to fight back. It is then that the fight against corruption will take on a personal score. Now is the right and only time; when the window of opportunity closes, it will take another rare cosmic alignment to bring Nigeria back from ruins. It is not a waste of energy or a distraction as some in their wisdom are counseling, it is a political and economy necessity. Probes are the rites of passage that Nigeria needs for social transformation and maturation.  

 

Bode Ibironke 

 

 

 

On 5/30/15, 3:50 PM, "Nnaemeka, Obioma G" <nnaemeka@iupui.edu> wrote:

 

President Buhari gave an excellent speech. However, "prologue" is the wrong word in the context it is used:  "A few people have privately voiced fears that on coming back to office I shall go after them. These fears are groundless. There will be no paying off old scores. The past is prologue." We can parse the word which way we want, it does not make it correct.

Obioma Nnaemeka, PhD

Chancellor's Distinguished Professor
President, Association of African Women Scholars (AAWS)
Dept. of World Languages & Cultures   Phone: 317-278-2038; 317-274-0062 (messages)
Cavanaugh Hall 543A                          Fax: 317-278-7375

Indiana University                               E-mail: nnaemeka@iupui.edu
425 University Boulevard                   

Indianapolis, IN 46202  USA

---

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Bode [ominira@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2015 1:47 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re-"The Past Is Prologue"

There are many phrases in that speech that makes me suspect I know who may have contributed to the speech from this list! In any case, CAO, neither the prologue nor the epilogue are part of Act, one introduces the audience to the first Act and the other provides additional information not known to the audience even after the final Act. How can the past come after the final Act of Buhari's Presidency, that is just about to begin? By saying the past is prologue, could he be saying the past is not the main Act or focus of his presidency? I agree as an idiom, it could mean a lot more…

 

Bode 

 

On 5/30/15, 1:01 PM, "Chidi Anthony Opara" <chidi.opara@gmail.com> wrote:

 

President Buhari while trying to debunk opinions in some quarters that he would be vindictive in power said in his inaugural speech that "the past is prologue".

One have been at lost at what the president meant by that quote, within the context of the message he was trying to pass across.

The president surely, could not have meant that he would preface (start) this present with the past, which is what his quote potrayed in my opinion.

What about "the past is epilogue"?

CAO.

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RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - SUNDAY MUSINGS: “Purpose-Driven Education”: Statement as a Discussant at the APC Policy Forum (by Bolaji Aluko)

May be.

Is there also not the possibility that "our failure to grow as a nation" is a choice? A people may be capable of thinking critically and refuse to do so.

 

oa

 

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Okechukwu Ukaga
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2015 1:36 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - SUNDAY MUSINGS: "Purpose-Driven Education": Statement as a Discussant at the APC Policy Forum (by Bolaji Aluko)

 

Dear Folu,
I suspect you wanted to write "our failure to grow as a nation could be DIRECTLY related to our failure to think critically..."
Regards,
Okey

On May 31, 2015 12:26 PM, "Folu Ogundimu" <ogundimu3@gmail.com> wrote:

Adeshina's critique is spot-on. Overemphasizing STEM as a national education policy approach risks turning Nigeria into a country of robotic workers. You cannot aspire to the status of a self-sustaining democracy without having a comprehensive educational policy that prioritizes the arts, humanities, and social sciences as much as you give priority to the STEM disciplines. 

 

Our failure to grow as a nation could be inversely related to our failure to think critically about our miserable condition. Societies that have come furthest on the human development index and that have achieved the most cumulation of their economy and scientific progress have done so by privileging the study and appreciation of the arts and humanities in early education. And by giving as much emphasis to the study of the social sciences as they do the STEM in post-primary education, they have been able to continuously modernize and re-invent their societies. This is how they have built more resilient and stable democracies. 

 

I don't see Nigeria growing as a sustainable democracy as long as we continue to fail to appreciate that which makes us understand the quality of our humanity. The critical insight we lack comes from the collapse of a quality education. To redeem ourselves, we need not just produce a country of robots but a country of critical thinkers who know something about their own history and learn to appreciate their own arts, culture, and religion as opposed to the present slavish worship of western and eastern culture and religion. 

 

So, given all this, I find my good friend, VC Aluko's statement to the APC forum quite disappointing. I know he is capable of modifying his proposal. Given his access to the important voices in the policy formulation process, he owes us a duty to carry a more inclusive and better thought out proposal on this important issue. 

 

F. 

Sent from my iPhone

On May 31, 2015, at 9:53 AM, 'Adeshina Afolayan' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> wrote:

I won't say Prof. Aluko's conception of a "purpose-driven education" for Nigeria is disappointing. I will prefer to say it is highly surprising (leaving sufficient room for ignorance on my part). Apart from all the good recommendations in the paper,I genuinely worry about the bold endorsement of the STEM educational policy and the continued advocacy of an educational system that is "truly science-and-technology based,  broadly-conceived, starting very early in our educational system with curricular emphasis on mathematics, English and civic studies,  all steeped in technology-assisted teaching and learning, coupled with staff training, re-training, and credible quality assessment that has continuous student and staff testing components." What does a 'truly sxience- and technology-based education' mean? What further role does 'broadly-conceived' play in defining it?   As if to make the issue clearer, Prof. Aluko also recommends a  "greater emphasis should be on doubling to quintupling to increasing admissions by an order-of-magnitude increase, with the ratio mix of students being 70-30 science/technology-based students rather than humanities/social science." This isn't different from the policy thrust of the National Policy on Education and its lopsided recommendations which essentially undermine the role of the humanities and the social sciences (HSS) in national development.    Why this STEM-based approach rather than a more holistic STEAMSS (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and the social sciences)? Even the National Sxience Foundation of the United States has a broader definition of the STEM disciplines to include the social sciences. How "purpose-driven" is an educational policy in Nigeria which relegates the HSS to a minimal ratio in educational and development matters? Why do we keep buying into some global policy frameworks without an attempt to learn or unlearn their failures and inappropriateness for our national circumstances? (In this regard, what is the difference between the Washington Consensus and STEM?) Do we need purpose-driven education or holistic education?    More fundamental: What educational philosophy should drive Nigeria's national development?      Adeshina Afolayan          Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android From:"Mobolaji Aluko" <alukome@gmail.com> Date:Sun, 31 May, 2015 at 11:33 am Subject:USA Africa Dialogue Series - SUNDAY MUSINGS: "Purpose-Driven Education": Statement as a Discussant at the APC Policy Forum (by Bolaji Aluko)   ____________________________________________________________________      "Purpose-Driven Education": Statement as a Discussant at the APC Policy Forum   By   Professor Mobolaji E. Aluko Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State   Transcorp-Hilton Hotel, Abuja-FCT May 21, 2015       I bring you greetings from Otuoke, where, despite present political realities, we expect fair and respectful treatment from the incoming administration.  Moving on quickly, I am particularly pleased to make a contribution as a discussant here in this session titled "Achieving Holistic and Sustainable Reforms in the Education Sector".   I took notes as former Minister Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi made his presentation, and I am pleased to note his key points of inter-generational education challenges, his astute differentiation between enrollment, school attendance and real functional education, his call for outcomes-based evaluation of students at each level of education, and the absolutely essential need for training, re-training and incentivization of teachers, In making my own contributions, I would like to emphasize that under a Change environment, I would hope that we will emphasize what I term "qualitative, purpose-driven education" of ALL citizens, from cradle to grave, for pre-K children to adults.  By purpose, I emphasize first individual development, then national citizenship, but most importantly national development SPECIFIC to Nigeria, but that will at the same time make the country to be globally competitive. If we are to be really serious about national development, our education must be truly science-and-technology based,  broadly-conceived, starting very early in our educational system with curricular emphasis on mathematics, English and civic studies,  all steeped in technology-assisted teaching and learning, coupled with staff training, re-training, and credible quality assessment that has continuous student and staff testing components.        Our education pipeline is as vulnerable as our oil and gas pipelines, and therefore we must address and set specific targets about what happens to "graduates" from each of the levels of our educational system. APC's manifesto commitment "to the eventual eradication of illiteracy by guaranteeing and enforcing nine (9) years of compulsory basic education to every Nigerian child, as the minimum level of formal education" [see http://www.nigerianmuse.com/20150531025819zg/change/apc-manifesto-a-new-party-for-a-new-nigeria/]  is laudable, but it must be complemented with emphasis on maximum advancement and/or employment prospects of our young and older adults as they exit at different levels (or education ramps).  We cannot afford to continue to produce discontented graduates at dead-ends at each education levels. We again note here that APC's manifesto   has a target of 75% for "transition rate from primary to secondary schools" by 2019.     This ambition for qualitative, purpose-driven education requires money – to finance food, books and equipment for students, staff training as well as teaching, learning, living and recreational facilities.  APC's manifesto of tripling "education spending over the next ten years, from current 8.5% to 24.5%" (presumably near the mythical UN number of 26%)  is mathematically correct only if the total money available triples…imagine if that money shrinks by more than a third, and suddenly 24.5% becomes less than 8.5%!   What is needed is a TRUE computation of what quantum of money is needed to train students at each level, and to ask parents (through school fees), community, government (through merit- an needs-based scholarships, grants and loans) and the organized private sector (with education tax fund and tax incentives) to commit their contributions sacrificially.  School fees should not be taboo.    We need honest, efficient, effective and data-driven funding and expenditure on education to succeed, with courageous action by APC sorely needed to plug corruption-induced financial leaks that pervade Nigeria's governance, and take away resources where they are most needed.   Local governments should truly be empowered to handle public primary education, which is really the most important level of our education pipeline; school-friendliness, proper staff training and friendly facilities are essential here.  State governments should be empowered to take on secondary education, with greater encouragement for return to boarding schools and sectarian private ownership, with full understanding that there will be some graduates exiting at this stage who could be going into the work-force.  At the late-stage tertiary level, private (but qualitative) institutions should continue to be encouraged, but  rather than have MORE public institutions, greater emphasis should be on doubling to quintupling to increasing admissions by an order-of-magnitude increase, with the ratio mix of students being 70-30 science/technology-based students rather than humanities/social science.  Increasing access, enhancing quality, requiring regional focus, observing international standards and ensuring low-, middle- and high-level skills graduates that can work together right from the classroom must be clear objectives placed in the fore of all tertiary institutions. The public and private regulators and funders of the education industry – the federal and state ministries, commissions and boards, from NUC to NBTE, from UBEC to TetFUND, from NUT to ASUU, etc -   must be put into heightened spotlight, to ensure a less incestuous relationship between the regulators and the regulated, and to ensure corruption-free, efficient and effective funding and sacrificial advocacy.   In closing, I have entered into the records a table below (Table 1: Purpose-Driven Education for Change: A Framework for Preliminary Discussions) that summarizes the contributions above, as well as a related diagram (Figure 1: Politics of Change and its Rings Around the President) that places the incoming President in a spider-web of issues that separate him from the Nigerian citizen, a maze through which he must cut for true CHANGE to occur and to succeed, including in the education sector.  His personal example, the use of the presidential bully pulpit to elevate education, particularly of the girl-child, to link it with personal, citizenship and national development, and not only to rail but to act against corruption, to name a few issues, will be heavily scrutinized in the days and years to come.   I thank you for listening.   Bolaji Aluko May 21, 2015 ____________________________________________________________________       TABLE 1:  "PURPOSE-DRIVEN EDUCATION FOR CHANGE"  – A FRAMEWORK FOR PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS (By Prof. Bolaji Aluko)                   BUZZ WORDS     EDUCATION LEVELS 1 Education for Development       Age (UN) Age+ 2 Qualitative Education for All   1 Pre-Kindergaten 0-3 0-3 3 Education for Personal & Citizenship Development   2 Kindergaten 3-6 3-6 4 STEEM (Science, Technology, English, Engineering and Mathematics) Emphasis   3 Primary 7-12 7-17 5 Free, Mandatory Education to Secondary Level   4 Secondary 13-18 13-21 6 Subsidized Tertiary Education   5 Tertiary 19-29 19-33 7 Life-long Learning   6 Adult >30                 REGULATORS     ISSUES 1 Federal Ministry of Education   1 Students   2 State Ministries of Education   2 Academic Staff   3 Local Government Departments   3 Non-Academic Staff   4 Commissions   4 Curriculum   5 Boards   5 Teaching and Learning Facilities   6 Other Ministries, Departments & Agencies   6 Living and Recreational Facilities   7 Professional Bodies (Including Staff Unions)   7 Governance         8 Financing     OTHER CONSIDERATIONS   9 Community Involvement   1 International (Standards, Aid, Export, etc.)   10 Quality, Monitoring, Assessment & Accreditation         11 Post-Graduation Opportunities (Pipeline and Employment)                     ____________________________________________________________________         FIGURE 1:  The Poltics of Change and its Rings Around the President           ____________________________________________________________________     -- Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group. 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